All's Fair in Love and War
by Meraculas
Summary: Boy likes girl, girl likes boy, new player comes to town, boy hates player, girl likes player, player likes girl, and family hates both. Who will it be Dawn?
1. The Beginning

**A/N:** Okay this chapter starts the story off kind of weird. It has taken me like, 4 months to write the chapter. I think I might finally know where this story is heading; well I always knew that, I just think I might know how to get it there.

**Declaimer:** I own nothing. I simply own the plot, and maybe one or two random potentials I will put in (there were tons on the show, how do you expect me to know all their names).

**PS:** Please review!

**Note:** Sorry this chapter is so short. I did not want to add anything else to it, because that would be going into the idea for the next one. I hope you like it nonetheless.

**Timeline:** I am not sure of exactly when this chapter, as well as the second one, will take place. I do know it is before the potentials arrive, but after Andrew is held hostage at the summer's residence. The Bringers have taken Spike, though. Therefore, I guess you could say it is between 'Never Leave Me' and 'Bring on the Night'.

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**Chapter 1:**

Well if he was going to be trapped as a hostage at the Summer's home, he might as well make the best of it, Andrew thought while being tied to the chair he was sitting in.

Andrew thought back to what got him in this situation.

Well, there was the simple fact that he had come back to Sunnydale. Then there was the fact that his dead best friend had made him kill his only other friend. Oh yah, to top that off Andrew had to go and buy pig's blood from the butcher and get caught by the same person who had killed Warren. Yes, Andrew thought, his life sucked.

"Okay, as much as I hate this I have to untie you so you can eat this food. Why Buffy is letting you even eat is beyond me right now, but…" Dawn said as she came in the room with a tray that had a glass of water and a plate with a sandwich on.

"Um, thanks." Andrew said unsure if he should be grateful or fearful.

"Just be quiet." Dawn said after untying him. She then left the room.

Andrew remembered when they had been running away from Willow the year before. Dawn had so much courage. He admired her for that very fact. Something told him though that that courage would be Dawn's down fall.

* * *

Dawn walked down the stairs to the living room thinking about the nerd who was tied upstairs. 

Andrew was kind of cool. Well when he wasn't talking about Star Wars and stuff like that.

Dawn remembered when she first met him. It wasn't when he was with Warren and Jonathon, no it was that night of the prom. Buffy went over to the place that Tucker was staying, and unfortunately Dawn had to come with her because her friend she was spending the night with lived close by. Buffy had left Tucker tied up to the rafters in the basement with the TV on for Dawn and Tucker. Yes, Buffy had let Dawn watch the hostage. Andrew had come in to get one of his shirts that Tucker had taken. Dawn seriously doubted Andrew remembered her, but Dawn thought he seemed cool at the time.

Andrew had taken one look at the situation, looked at Tucker and said, "You're screwed" Before leaving the apartment.

"Hay Dawn, you untied Andrew so that he could eat right?" Xander asked the youngest Summers girl.

"Yes, Xander." Dawn replied taking a seat on the couch.


	2. Realizations

**A/N:** Okay, next chapter. It is lame, so sorry. The story should pick up sometime soon, maybe the next chapter or the one after it. Please review, even if it just to say that the chapters need more substance.

**Declaimer:** I own nothing but the plot, sorry.

**Note:** This chapter will probably be short, just like the first one.

**Timeline:** Before the potentials arrive in "Bring on the Night" but after "Never Leave Me."

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**Chapter 2:**

Andrew sat tied back up to the chair, wondering what time it was. He also could not get his mind off the Slayer's younger sister. He wondered when she was going to come back.

It was then that the door burst open and in walked Dawn herself.

"What are you staring at?" She asked him calmly.

"The picture next to the door." Andrew quickly replies to cover the fact that he was staring at her.

Dawn looks behind her and sees a picture of her with her mom, dad, and Buffy from when they were young.

"Who is in it?" Andrew asks making conversation.

"Mom, dad, Buffy, and myself." Dawn replied before untying Andrews hands, "Don't go anywhere, I'll be back with you food."

Dawn walked out the door, giving Andrew a nice view of her butt in the process. She came back in a couple of minutes later with a tray of food on it.

"So, what's for dinner?" Andrew asked her.

"Chicken noodle soup." Dawn replied as she sat down on the bed with her own tray of food.

"Why are you still here?" Andrew asked her, not that he did not enjoy the company, because he did.

"Slayer's orders, doesn't want you to make a run for it." Dawn told him.

"Oh, okay." Andrew said before leaving the young woman along as he ate his dinner.

* * *

Weird, was Andrew actually being quiet, and did he actually sound disappointed when I said that Buffy told me to stay here? Dawn asked herself in her mind. She had lied when she said that Buffy wanted her to stay in here with Andrew. 

She had remained with Andrew because she wanted to talk with him. He had seemed cool those years ago, but then Dawn had also been much younger.

"So, what all did you do with Jonathon and Warren?" Dawn asked him.

Andrew looked up surprised that she was actually talking to him, "Oh, you know, 'plan to take over the world!'" Andrew said sounding like Brain, for the kid show 'Pinky and the Brain'.

Dawn could not help but laugh. Andrew joined her soon.

"Is that all you did?" Dawn asked when she had her breath back.

"No, we watched 'Star Wars' and 'James Bond' as well as some other stuff." Andrew said, "But we really did try to kill your sister, and for that I'm sorry."

"I know." Dawn told him truthfully.

It was then that it hit her. Not only was Andrew cool, but she thought be was cute. Jumping up Dawn quickly left the room, leaving one stunned ex-nerd.


	3. The Potential

**A/N:** Okay the chapter takes place during 'Bring on the Night', but let's say that Andrew wasn't unconscious and he was helping everyone do research. I am also giving Andrew a bit more of a role in this chapter, nobody really trusts him all that much, though. Just think that the more the merrier as to why they are letting him help so much.

**Disclaimer:** Me, own something, yah right.

**Timeline:** Buffy season 7, "Bring on the Night".

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**Chapter 3:**

Andrew sat on the floor reading one of the many books in the Summer's house trying to find something on the First. He flipped absent-mindedly through the book. Reaching the back cover Andrew closed the book, put it aside, and grabbed another.

"Wait!" Anya cried out suddenly, "You…" She said pointing directly at Andrew, "Right before Spike attacked you started talking!"

"That's right." Xander said.

Buffy got up and walked over to him, "So, keep talking."

Looking just a tad worried Andrew said, "I might need a reminder as to where I left off…"

"A Seal or something like that." Anya said cutting him off.

"Oh!" Andrew said, "The Seal of Danthazar."

"Where is this Seal thing-y?" Dawn asked him.

"Um, well, Sunnydale High's Basement." Andrew replied slowly.

* * *

Andrew led Buffy, Dawn, and Xander through the labyrinth that was Sunnydale High's basement, "It's around this corner, I think." 

"You better be right this time." Buffy told him tired of being led in circles.

"I told you-I'm not sure." Andrew told them.

"It's okay; we'll just stay down here until you do find it." Dawn told him.

They walked into the room with the Seal at that very moment.

"Well maybe you should get sure. I'm sick of all the runaround with you-" Xander says ignoring Dawn. He then sees the seal of Danthazar "Whoa. Check out the goat-heady badness."

"What does it do?" Buffy asks him.

"I don't know. Something not good. It didn't work 'cause... there wasn't enough blood." Andrew says as he turns to leave "OK." Buffy stops him

Dawn walks over and investigates a wheel "There's blood on this. Lots." She turns to Buffy "Looks like the first made another sacrifice. Or a music video."

"The seal could've been activated. I bet that's what the First needed Spike for." Buffy says.

"That was not there before. I had nothing to do with that." Andrew says panicking.

"It's okay; we can see that you are not one capable of doing such a thing." Dawn tells him reassuringly.

"Thanks for clearing that up 'cause otherwise we might have thought you were up to no good here at the satanic manhole cover. You killed your best friend!" Xander tells Andrew sarcastically, again ignoring the fact that Dawn was being nice to Andrew.

"He is in a place of joy and peace. He told me." Andrew tells them softly as Buffy rolls her eyes.

"No, nobody told you. You were tricked by a fake ghost." Xander tells him.

"Boys, can we save the encounter session? We need to cover this thing up." Buffy says as she grabs nearby shovels, hands them out "Whatever it does, we cannot leave it exposed like this."

They start shoveling dirt over the seal.

* * *

Andrew sat in the living room trying to calm his mind. What was with that wheel in the room with the seal? Why was Dawn being so nice to him? I wonder if Dawn likes Spaghetti. 

Stopping his Dawn thoughts Andrew went back to thinking about everything that had happened recently. He jumped up from his seat when he heard Dawn shriek, he headed for the Dinning room.

He got there just in time to see Willow send some red lightning blots at Buffy from her mouth.

"You only make e stronger!" Willow roared at them in a deep voice.

Xander grabs the glowing bowl from the spell, and throws it against the dining room wall, shattering it. The light disappears, and Willow collapses, crying and twitching. Xander goes to check on Anya. Buffy kneels at Willow's side, holding her head.

"Will!" Buffy says.

"It's still in me. I feel it!" Willow said frantic and scared.

"No, it's not. It is gone. You're OK." Buffy replies trying to calm her down.

"I don't want to hurt anybody. Please, Buffy, do not let it make me. Oh, God!" Willow said on the verge of tears.

"We won't. I promise, OK. I promise. We won't use magic to fight this thing until we know what we're doing."

"I can't. I cannot. I'm sorry."

* * *

Dawn sat on the couch in the living room with Anya on her right and Andrew on her left. Willow was standing off to the side and Buffy and Xander were arguing, Buffy with her coat on. 

"At least let me come with you." Xander said.

"I'm going alone." Buffy told him heading to the foyer.

"You said yourself; you do not know how to fight The First, or even where it is."

"It's out there. It is hurting my friends. I'll find it." Buffy says sighing.

Buffy opens the front door to leave, but sees Giles standing there on her front porch when she opens it.

'Buffy." Giles says in way of greeting.

"Giles."

Buffy goes to hug Giles, but is cut off when three girls she has never met walk right into her house.

"Nice place. Bit of a mess." The first girl says in a Cockney British accent walking into the house.

The second girl walks by Buffy and smiles, but says nothing.

'This is a slayer?" The third girl says as she looks at Buffy then enters the house.

Buffy stares at the girls, and then looks at Giles, confused.

"Sorry to barge in. We have a slight apocalypse." Giles tells her.

* * *

Andrew sat quietly listening to Giles go on about the First Evil and how the Watcher's council had been blown up. 

"I have to ask." Andrew cut in suddenly, "If the First is unable to be stopped, how do you expect Buffy to stop it?"

"He has a point." Xander said.

"I have to ask, why you are even here?" Giles asked him.

"Oh, um…" Andrew tried to answer.

"We are taking all the help we can get." Dawn replied, "Besides, he has experience with something of the First's, the Seal of Danthazar."

"What she said." Andrew replied finally then turning to Dawn, "Thank you."

"No problem." Dawn replied, "But back to Andrew's question. How do you expect Buffy to stop something that can't be stopped?"

"Well, I honestly don't know." Giles replied.


	4. First Date

**A/N:** Hum, next chapter. Enjoy! In addition, I apologize now for the corny-ness of this chapter.

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing except the plot. Please review, feedback is greatly appreciated; I want to know how I might be able to make this batter for you all.

**Timeline:** Buffy season 7, "First Date."

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**Chapter 4:**

It had been a couple of weeks and Dawn and Andrew had gotten close. Tonight Buffy had a date with the principal of Dawn's school, and Xander had a date with some girl he had just met.

Kennedy was out drilling the potential slayers on something or another. Andrew was inside making spaghetti, it turned out that Dawn did in fact like it.

"So, what was it like being evil?" Dawn asked him, she always enjoyed making fun of his past.

"Well, you know I was the actual leader, Warren just looked stronger." Andrew told her trying to act all macho. "It was his actual need to be leader that had driven him to his terrible act."

"Really, so that still didn't answer my question." Dawn told him.

"Um… well…" Andrew stuttered, "It wasn't all that bad until Buffy found out about us."

"Oh, that sounds like it would have been fun." Dawn told him smiling.

"I guess…" Andrew told her, their faces had somehow become very close. The moment was suddenly destroyed when the timer on the oven went off signaling that the garlic bread was done cooking, "I'll get that."

Andrew opened to oven and got the garlic bread. He then checked to see if the spaghetti was ready by taking a noodle out and tossing it at the wall.

"Awesome, you ever think of giving up the evil badness for cooking?" Dawn asked seeing it stick.

"Not really" he told her as he dished them some pasta and toke the sauce out of the microwave, "Bon appetite."

"This is good, where did you learn to cook, Andrew?" Dawn asked him.

"I don't know, from around, I guess." Andrew replied.

Somehow, during the course of their meal, Dawn ended up with some sauce next to her mouth that just screamed corny movie and 'kiss me'. Andrew, being ever the gentleman, reached over and whipped it off for her. Then, like in all those corny movies, they ended up kissing.

The kiss was sweet, unsure, at first. Then, it deepened. Dawn ran her hands through Andrew's hair as he pulled her in closer to him. The moment was broken by the sudden need for air and the fact that the slayers in training were heard coming up the back stairs that lead directly into the kitchen.

"Hay guys." Kennedy said as she entered, "Um, food, what is in the sauce, because I'm allergic to onion."

"There is onion in it." Andrew told her with a smile. Everyone had come to accept his help. Spike, having taken pity on Andrew, had even begun to give him some semblance to training.

"That sucks no sauce for me that means." Kennedy stated as she dished a large plateful out and joined them at the island, "So what has been happening?"

"Nothing really, just been eating dinner, Kennedy." Dawn told Willow's new girlfriend.

"Um, this is good, no doubt Andrew cooked."

"Hay!" Dawn cried out, "I can cook."

"You once burned the macaroni, I have never heard of anyone burning macaroni." Kennedy told her smiling.

"Point for Kennedy." Andrew said as Dawn gently hit him.

"Not fair first Kennedy now you?" Dawn asked, "Isn't their rules against siding with anyone but your girlfriend?"

All laughter stopped. Kennedy choked on her spaghetti.

"Gotcha!" Dawn said as she began laughing at their faces.

"Buffy, will hear about that." Kennedy stated.

"What, I was only joking?" Dawn got out through her laughter.

"Whatever." Kennedy said as she put her now empty plate in the sink and left the room to go back outside.

As soon as the door was closed, Dawn's laughter stopped.

"What was that about?" Andrew asked her.

"Just clearing the air between us." Dawn told him with a wink.

At that, he smiled and pulled her close for another kiss.


	5. Getting Away

**A/N:** Okay, this chapter takes a different turn. Now we follow Willow to Los Angeles where she helps the LA gang with their Angelus problem. We also get to meet the "player".

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing but the plot. Kansas owns the song in this chapter "Carry On Wayword Son."

**Timeline:** Angel season 4, "Orpheus."

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**Chapter 5:**

Willow had left Sunnydale as soon as she had gotten the call from Fred. She drove as fast as the speeding limit allowed and had reached the Hyperion Hotel in no time.

From there things got interesting. She met Angel's son, Conner, with no real problems. It was when she had him take her to Cordelia. Something was wrong with that girl. Willow just could not put her finger on what it was.

_Carry on my wayward son,_

_For there'll be peace when you are done_

_Lay your weary head to rest_

_Now don't you cry no more_

Willow seemed like a nice person, Conner thought. Things were not looking good for the redheaded witch right now, though. The Beast master was stopping her magic from releasing Angel's soul.

"Are you sure she can handle it?" Conner asked not wanting someone who seemed to nice to get hurt.

"Alesh ashtoreth!" Willow chanted with her eyes black.

"I think she can hold her own." Wesley replied.

_Once I rose above the noise and confusion_

_Just to get a glimpse beyond the illusion_

_I was soaring ever higher, but I flew too high_

_Though my eyes could see I still was a blind man_

_Though my mind could think I still was a mad man_

_I hear the voices when I'm dreamin',_

_I can hear them say_

The ground was shaking.

"Do you feel that?" Wesley asked.

"There is something evil rising in the hotel." Conner replied.

_Carry on my wayward son,_

_For there'll be peace when you are done_

_Lay your weary head to rest_

_Now don't you cry no more_

An apparition of a huge demonic head floats above the gang in the lobby, growling and shrieking.

"What the hell is that?" Conner asked.

"Ignore it." Willow told him. "Find your target. Leave my side." Willow told the glowing ball in front of her.

_Masquerading as a man with a reason_

_My charade is the event of the season_

_And if I claim to be a wise man, it surely means that I don't know_

_On a stormy sea of moving emotion_

_Tossed about I'm like a ship on the ocean_

_I set a course for winds of fortune, but I hear the voices say_

Conner wanted to run, he wanted to see how Cordelia was doing, but he stood transfixed by the sheer feeling of all of Willow's power.

"Break the glass" Willow said, "Let loose the soul!"

It was obvious how much of Willow's power was being used to counter the Beast master's attempts to prevent her from getting to the Muo-Ping.

She was not going to let them see her she could not do it. She needed the power, but Willow refused to let her-self go there, not again, not after Tara.

"Why isn't it working?" Conner asked.

"Willow!" Wesley called out to her, "What is going on?"

Knowing she had to Willow raised her head and looked at the ceiling through her black eyes, "Tara, I'm sorry." She whispered before drawing on the powers she needed.

_Carry on my wayward son,_

_For there'll be peace when you are done_

_Lay your weary head to rest_

_Now don't you cry no more_

Everyone watched as her hair began to darken until it was black.

"Let loose the soul!" Willow screamed out suddenly. As soon as the words left her mouth, everything stopped. It was too calm and quiet. "Head rush." Willow mumbled before she began to sway in her spot.

"Willow!" Conner cried out at the same time as Wesley. They both ran over to steady her, but Conner reached her just as she began to fall over.

_Carry on, you will always remember_

_Carry on, nothing equals the splendor_

_Now your life's no longer empty_

_Surely heaven waits for you_

After Willow had recovered, she had everyone grab some candles and incense and had them all lighting them.

"So... now Angel's soul is just floating around out there?" Fred asked as she looked around.

"Yeah, until I can channel it into the Orb of Thessulah." Willow replied.

Conner looked up over at Willow, "Are you sure you know what you are doing?"

"I have done this before; it was my first spell in fact. Angel lost his soul on Buffy's 17th birthday. She had just been attacked by the Judge's arm. Oz had learned about the kind of stuff that lurks in the night, though he ended up being a werewolf…" Willow replied as her answer turned into the story of the first time she did the re-ensoulment spell. "Angelus killed Giles' girlfriend, Jenny Calendar. I had taken over her computer class. One night I was doing some work when I found a disk with the information for the spell. Ms. Calendar is a descendent of the gypsy clan that had originally cursed Angel with his soul. It was because she was going to attempt the spell that Angelus killed her. I had been knocked out and woke up in the hospital; everyone thought I was not going to pull through. I pulled the spell off with a minor concussion."

"Wow." Wesley stated, "I had never heard that tale."

"Yah, well, when I got knocked out by a bookcase and a few vamps, Drusilla had killed Kendra." Willow said with a look of sadness, "Okay, back to business."

Willow and Fred grabbed some books.

"Ready when you are." Willow told Fred.

"Quod perditum est invenietur..." Fred began reading from her book.

"Nisi mort. Nisi al finitei. Te invoc, spirit al trecerii..." Willow read. "Te implor doamne. Nu ignora accasta rugaminte lasa orbita sa fie vasul care-i va transporta sufletul la el."

Willow continued chanting over the Orb of Thessulah. "Este scris aceasta putere este dreptul poporuil meu de a conduce." "Asa sa fie, acum."

The spell had worked. Later that evening Willow was saying her goodbyes to everyone. Faith and Angel walked in from outside.

"So, Faith, you coming with me?" Willow asked to make sure.

"You bet I'm not going to let the world end on my watch." Faith replied.

Conner had stood quiet off to the side through all of the goodbyes, but he felt he had to say something. "I'm coming with you."

"No you are not." Angel said suddenly.

"You can't stop me." Conner countered.

"I am your father." Angel shot back.

"Where were you when I was in Quor'thoth?" Conner asked him outraged.

Angel looked like he was going to reply but when the realization of what Conner had said sank in he closed his mouth causing a gaping fish look for a second or two.

"Buffy will be there, Angel, so with Faith, Giles, Spike, myself, Dawn, Andrew, though you do not know Andrew, Xander, Anya, and a whole hoard of mini slayers. What could possibly happen?" Willow asked him.

Conner shot her a quick smile.

"What about end of the world thing you have going there? It must be bad enough that all the potential slayers have gathered in Sunnydale." Angel shot back.

"Conner is a good fighter. He could use a little slayer training and will possibly undefeatable, besides being away from you might help him." Faith stated.

"Alright, but I want you to call me as soon as you get there." Angel stated.

_Carry on my wayward son,_

_For there'll be peace when you are done_

_Lay your weary head to rest_

_Now don't you cry no more_


	6. Arrivals

**A/N:** Willow, Faith, and Conner arrive in Sunnydale to help save the day.

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing but the plot. Please review.

**Timeline:** Buffy episode "Dirty Girls" from season 7.

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**Chapter 6:**

Conner had arrived with Faith and Willow in Sunnydale only to end up at the hospital because they found someone on the road bleeding to death. Not that a visit to the hospital was not fun, Conner just jumped at the opportunity to get out and patrol with Faith.

They had reached a cemetery when Faith took off at a run. Conner looked around and found what Faith must have felt, a vampire. Faith reached them as the bleach blonde male vampire reached down. Faith threw him into a nearby tombstone.

They seemed to be talking.

"Yeah? Maybe you have not heard. I've reformed." Faith told him before punching him.

"So have I." He said as he punched her. "I reformed way before you did." He continued as Faith punched him. "Stop..." He punched Faith "hitting..." punches Faith again. "Me! We're on the same side."

"Please. You think I'm stupid?" Faith asked him.

"Well, yeah." He replied with a grin.

"You were attacking that girl." Faith told him as she punched him again.

Conner noticed the blonde woman too late. She punched Faith in the face causing her to fall down.

"Sorry, Faith. I didn't realize that was you." The blonde-haired woman told her innocently.

"It's all right, B. luckily, you still punch like you used to." Faith shot back to "B".

"You OK?" B asked the vampire after sending Faith a short glare.

"Yeah. Terrific."

"Are you protecting vampires? Are you the bad slayer now? Am I the good slayer now?" Faith asked shocked.

"He's with me. He has a soul." B told her.

"Oh, he's like Angel?" Conner asked inserting himself into the conversation.

"No." The vampire replied.

"Sort of." B replied as well.

"I am nothing like Angel."

"He fights on my side." B shrugged then looked at Faith. "Which is more than I can say for some of us."

"Yeah, well if he's so good, what's he doing chasing down defenseless…" Faith started.

The young woman that the vampire was chasing stands up, growls, and attacks Faith, knocking her down.

"That's one of the bad guys." B said pointing to the woman.

"You should make 'em wear a sign." the young woman is a vampire; Faith fights the vamp woman, and reaches around to B's pocket full of stakes "May I?" takes a stake "Thanks."

Faith continues fighting the vamp woman, and then stakes her.

"Angel's dull as a table lamp. And we have very different coloring." The bleached blonde-haired person stated.

"OK, catching up. Anything else I gotta know?" Faith asked.

"Nice to have you back." B told her, "Who's he?"

"Conner." Conner replied simply.

"Buffy Summers." Buffy said pointing to herself, "And that is Spike."

"Nice, so you are Angel's ex that sent him to Hell?" Conner asked.

Faith just rolled her eyes and put her head in her hands, "Sorry about Conner, he has a minor hatred for Angel."

"You and I are on the same age." Spike told Conner, "Just I had to deal with him for a good number of decades, he is my 'grandfather'"

"I don't hate him." Conner stated.

Faith gave him a pointed look.

"Okay, there might have been that time with the ocean and the box, but I am over that." Conner continued. Unfortunately so did Faith's look. "Okay, so I might still _recent_ him."

"Um hum, still seemed to hate him by that spat you two had before you taged along." Faith stated.

"He's clingy!" Conner yelled after her retreating form.


	7. Popular

**A/N:** More Conner! Just know he meets the Scooby Gang. This chapter, as well as the next one are all kind of continues.

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing but the plot.

**Timeline:** Buffy episode "Dirty Girls" from season 7.

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**Chapter 7:**

Buffy, Faith, Spike, and Conner all walked into Buffy's house. Conner noticed a brunette female, a blonde male, and an older looking male at the dining room table.

"Whoa. Memory Lane. Same old house." Faith said as they entered.

"Yeah, well, every piece of furniture's been destroyed and replaced since you left, so, actually, new house." Buffy told them.

The brown-haired woman got up, the blonde close behind, "Buffy?" The brown-haired woman asked. She then saw Faith and sent her a hate filled look.

"You sure have lots of friends here." Conner stated looking at Faith.

"Whose he?" The blonde male asked.

"Oh, that is Conner no-last-name-required." Spike said.

"I have a last name." Conner said, "I was just never told what it was."

"Um hum." Buffy nodded not sure what to make of him, "We have house guests."

"Yah, got a spare bed for a wanted fugitive?" Faith asked trying to lighten the mood.

The older man stood, walked over and nodded "Hello, Faith."

"Well I guess "wanted" wasn't all that accurate." Faith muttered.

"Hay, I told you my name, how about some return thanks." Conner said suddenly, "And I told you my real name."

Buffy looked at him in disbelief, "Is he someone you met in jail?"

"No, he…" Faith started, "I don't really know what to say other then, and you have another name?"

"Raised in a hell dimension by my dad's mortal over a century old enemy." Conner stated shrugging it off, "Steven Franklin Thomas Holtz. Plus I even know my last name there, but that isn't my real name."

The older man seemed intrigued by what Conner had said, "What was the dimension?"

"Quor-toth." Conner replied, "And you would be?"

"Oh, yes, my name is Rupert Giles, but everyone prefers to call me Giles."

"You remind me of Wesley." Conner stated, "Nice guy except for the trying to capture me when I was a baby part."

"I'm Dawn, Buffy's younger sister." The brown-haired woman told him, "That's my boyfriend Andrew."

"Nice to meet you, all of you." Conner said.

"What was Quor-toth like?" Giles asked him.

"I was there for maybe a month this time, came out looking like this." Conner told him, "I was pulled in maybe a month or two old, I think."

"Okay, I think this isn't the best subject for right now." Faith cut in saving Conner where he had saved her.

"Holtz, I have heard that name some where before." Spike said, "Where was it?"

"I'll go and find you a place to sleep, Faith." Buffy told her fellow slayer, "Andrew, can you find Conner somewhere?"

"Sure." Andrew told her before turning to Conner, "Come on."

* * *

Conner had gone with Buffy when they got the news that the girl that they had found had woken up. 

"He was a minister or something... At least, he dressed like one. I thought he was trying to save me...at first." The girl, Shannon, told them.

"He—he picked you up on the side of the road?" Buffy asked her.

"Bringers were chasing me. He said they were his boys...right before he burned me" Shannon told them as she removed a bandage that covered a burn on her neck. Willow took out a digital camera and took a picture of the mark.

"He wanted to tell you something. Before he...cut me...he told me to give the slayer a message." Shannon continued.

"What is it?"

"He said, "I have something of yours."" Shannon said.

"Shannon," Conner spoke, "Can I ask you to describe this man, Caleb?"

"Are you some kind of cop?" Shannon asked.

"No, but I know how to draw pretty well, and my father is a PI." Conner told her.

"Sure." Shannon told him as he sat down. Willow gave him a small notepad and a pencil. "He had blond hair…"

* * *

"We've got a new player in town. Dresses like a preacher. Calls himself Caleb. Looks like he is working for the First. He is taunting us, calling us out. Says he has something of mine. Could be another girl, could be something else. Do not know do not care. I am tired of talking. I am tired of training. He's got something of mine? Fine. I'm getting it back, and you guys are coming with me." Buffy told the potentials and the other Scoobies including Faith and Conner, "Conner has a pretty good sketch of what this Caleb guy will look like. I want you all to take a good look incase you ever run into him." 


	8. More Wine?

**A/N:** Picks up pretty much where the last chapter left off. Also, sorry about the lack of updates, and another long (though hopefully not as long) silence will begin in a few days.

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing but the plot.

**Timeline:** Buffy episode "Dirty Girls" from season 7.

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Chapter 8:

Buffy had gathered most of her main team into the Summers living room. Giles, Xander, Spike, Buffy, Willow, Faith, and as per both Willow and Faith's requests Conner were all huddled together talking about what they needed to do.

"We need to start arming the girls. I wanna be ready to move when we find him." Buffy told them.

"We don't even know where we're going." Willow reasoned.

"'S why I figured we'd do a little recon first." Buffy said before turning to Faith, "You up for it?"

"Point me where you want me." Faith responded.

"And you're certain this is the best course of action? You don't even know what this man has of yours—if he, in fact, has anything." Giles said.

"It could be a girl, a potential trying to get to us." Buffy shot back.

"Or it could be a puppy dog you lost when-" Conner began, "Or it could be a potential."

"Which is why we need to get in there." Buffy added.

"With the girls? Most of whom have yet to be in the field, let alone in a life or death situation." Giles asked.

"Then it's time we test them. Look, I will just take the ones that have been here the longest. The rest can stay behind." Buffy replied simply.

"Could be that's just what he wants you to do—the old bait-and-switch." Spike commented.

"Yeah, he lures us away and then kills the girls we leave behind." Added Willow.

Buffy replied, "I know. That is why I need you to stay here with them. You are my most powerful weapon, Will. I know you can keep them safe if anything happens."

"An unknown man breezes into town, says he has something of yours. Buffy, this thing's got "trap" written all over it." Xander commented.

"Look, I don't know much, but it seems like this Caleb guy would not be expecting a full on attack, not this soon at least." Conner stated.

"Which is exactly why we need to move." Buffy added empathically.

"We know nothing about this man. We cannot go into battle unprepared. We have to have more time." Giles told her.

"Giles, we don't have time. And you're not going into battle." Buffy said as Giles sighed, "I need you to stay behind with the others. Help the girls who still need a teacher."

X x X

Conner sat around the living room a sword in his hand; he was swinging it around effortlessly.

"You sure seem familiar with that thing." Dawn said from where she stood.

"Yah, tried to kill me dad with one a number of times." Conner replied with a smile.

"Who's your father?" Dawn asked, "I hear you mention him a lot."

"It doesn't matter." Conner replied, his smile gone now, "He never really liked me. He hears I want to come here, though, and it is a big 'no.' I think it had something to do with his ex-girlfriend. She isn't that bad, though, bit of a control freak and bossy, also a little stuck up, selfish, stubborn…"

"Not that bad?" Dawn asked, "Sounds like you do not like her either."

"I never said I didn't like Buffy." Conner stated. He then noticed what he had said when he saw that look of shock on Dawn's face. "Do not tell her." Conner threatened.

"Your dad is Angel?" Dawn asked, "Vampires can not have kids."

"Imagine my mom's surprise; apparently she said that exact same thing. Staked her-self for me in the end, though." Conner told her.

"You mom was a vampire as well?"

"Darla, Angelus's sire." Conner answered.

"Do I want to know?" Dawn asked still shocked.

"I believe there was a prophecy, but then I punched Angel stopping him from talking." Conner answered, "Or was it Gunn? It could have been Wesley, no not Wesley. It might have been Lorne, yah, I think it was Lorne."

"I think this prophecy of yours is the only good prophecy I have come across so far." Dawn told him with a bright smile.

X x X

"I've been through more battles with Buffy than you all can ever imagine. She's stopped everything that's ever come up against her." Xander was saying as Buffy and Faith walked through the front door, they heard his speech. "She's laid down her life—literally—to protect the people around her. This girl has died two times, and she is still standing. You are scared. That is smart. You got questions? You should. But you doubt her motives, you think Buffy's all about the kill, then you take the little bus to battle." Buffy tears up. "I've seen her heart, and this time—not literally. And I'm telling you, right now, she cares more about your lives than you will ever know. You gotta trust her. She's earned it."

Andrew and Dawn are crying.

"Damn. I never knew you were that cool." Faith said causing everyone to turn to look at Buffy and Faith.

"Well, you always were a little slow." Buffy told Faith.

"I get that now."

"We going somewhere?" Conner asked.

"Yah, come on let us saddle up." Buffy replied.

X x X

Buffy has brought a small gang with her to the vineyard—Faith, Spike, Xander, Conner, Kennedy, Rona, Molly, Chao-Ahn, Amanda and another potential. They walk up to the front door, then Buffy pauses to address the team. "OK. Set up a perimeter. Guard the door. I do not want anything getting in behind us. My team goes in first we check the place out. You guys are our safety-net. If this place is a trap, we give the signal; you guys come in, guns a-blazing."

"So, what's the signal?" Xander asked.

"I'm thinking lots and lots of yelling." Buffy replied.

"Got it."

"Shall we?" Buffy asked as she leads a subset of the team inside.

Buffy walked down the steps into the wine cellar, followed by Molly, Kennedy, Rona and Chao-Ahn.

"What is this place?" Molly asked looking around.

"Looks like an old vineyard." Buffy replied.

"An evil vineyard, huh?" Kennedy asked.

"Like Falcon Crest." Spike submitted.

"Stay alert, you guys. Bringers are here somewhere. Just need to find out where." Buffy told them looking into the shadows.

"Shouldn't be too hard." Spike commented.

Bringers come out of the shadows, from behind the barrels of wine, and attack Buffy and gang. The fight is fairly even. Suddenly, the Bringers stop fighting and walk back into the shadows. Caleb walks out into the light.

"Well, now, you girls are just burning with righteousness, aren't you? Problem is you think you are blazing like suns, when really you are burning like matchsticks in the face of the darkness. You having fun? Now, I hope my boys haven't worn you out too much—I need you fit for when I purify you." Caleb said.

"Save the sermon, padre. I heard you have something of mine." Buffy told him.

Caleb chuckled the said, "Well, I do now. You liked my little message, did you? You know, I ruined a perfectly good knife on that girl. Got her soiled blood all over the place. I may have to get a new truck." Buffy looks taken aback "So, you're the slayer. The slayer. The strongest, the fastest, the most aflame with that most precious invention of all mankind—the notion of goodness. The slayer must indeed be powerful." With one powerful punch, he sends Buffy flying across the room. "So, what else you got?" looks around smugly

Spike vamps out and attacks Caleb. Caleb pushes him down with ease. Spike tries to get up, but Caleb head-butts him, then throws him across the room into a huge wine storage tank that busts when Spike hits it. Wine pours out of the tank and washes Spike across the floor. Kennedy and the other potentials get into gear and join the fight.

"Let's go!" Kennedy called out.

The Bringers come back out of the shadows to fight the potentials as well. Kennedy storms Caleb but has to engage a Bringer instead. Caleb punches Kennedy, knocking her into a stack of wine barrels.

"Kennedy!" Rona said worried.

Rona runs toward Kennedy, but Caleb cuts her off. She swings the spiked baseball bat at Caleb, but he catches it and looks her in the eyes.

"Miss, I do believe you have your own problems you should be worrying about." Caleb told Rona.

Caleb breaks Rona's arm with ease, sending her reeling back in agony. Caleb chuckles and bends to pick up a knife from the floor. He tosses the knife to a nearby Bringer, who swings it back ready to plunge it into Rona's body. An arrow pierces the Bringer's forearm as he rears back. They turn to look, and see Xander standing there with a bow. Faith is there beside him. The Bringer leaves Rona and fights with Xander.

"Oh, good. There are more of you." Caleb stated.

Faith charges at Caleb. Xander sees Buffy lying unconscious against the wall where she fell when Caleb threw her.

"Buffy!" Xander says. Xander runs to Buffy, fighting off Bringers on his way to her side.

Holding a knife in each hand, Faith engages Caleb in a fight, but she does not seem to faze him.

"Well, you're the other one, aren't you? Your Cain to her Abel." Caleb says, as he looks Faith up and down. Faith throws a knife at Caleb. "No offense meant to Cain, of course."

Faith attacks Caleb with her other knife, but he grabs her arm, twists it, and crosses it with her other arm in a fashion such that she can't move, but is looking right at him. He squeezes her hands until she is forced to drop the knife. Faith grunts at him and knees him in the crotch, causing Caleb to let go of her just enough that she can escape his grasp. She backhands him across the face.

"Never was much for the good book." Faith tells him through gritted teeth.

Caleb grabs Faith's arm and twists it painfully behind her back, causing her to double over. She falls to her knees as he twists and pulls her arm and walks around to the front of her.

"Oh, it has its moments. Paul had some good stuff, for instance. But overall I find it a tad complicated" Caleb says as he slaps Faith. "I like to keep things simple." kicks Faith across the room into a stack of wine barrels. "Good folk, bad folk," a potential with long black hair swings at Caleb, but he grabs her sword, then her face "clean folk, dirty folk..."

Caleb snaps the potential's neck and drops her to the ground.

"No...!" Molly yells seeing Caleb kill the potential.

"Yes." Caleb says as he walks toward Molly

Xander is at Buffy's side as she recovers and gets back into the game.

"Xander, get them out of here. We have to retreat. Do it." Buffy tells Xander weakly, trying to sit up.

Xander leaves. Caleb walks menacingly toward Molly, who backs up slowly, frozen with fear. She raises her arm back to stab him, but he grabs her wrist, then her neck. Another potential fights a Bringer. A Bringer throws Amanda against a wall and attacks her. Buffy stands just as Caleb squeezes Molly's neck, lifting her off the floor. Buffy tries to go to her, but Bringers keep attacking her, slowing her down.

Caleb tells Molly, "What can I say? I work in mysterious ways." Just as he was about to stab Molly, Conner punches him in the face.

"You talk too much." Conner told him simply, "Reminds me of my dad. Never liked him; sunk him to the bottom of the ocean once."

Conner and Caleb begin fighting. Caleb punches Conner in the face. Conner goes down, but not across the room. Conner lashes out bringing Caleb down from swiping at Caleb's legs with one of his own before kicking up to a standing position.

Buffy rushes over to Caleb. Conner lets her take over. She fights him more evenly this time, avoiding his punches, and landing a few of her own. She punches him so hard; Caleb is sent flying across the room.

"We're all leaving." Spike tells Buffy, grabbing her arm.

Spike pulls Buffy away from the fight. Xander goes to Kennedy's side.

Xander asks Kennedy, "Are you OK?" Kennedy nods. "Let's go. Come on."

Xander helps Kennedy to her feet. Spike escorts Rona out of the building.

"Let's go! Come on!" Xander yells out waving at the others.

Caleb grabs Xander and turns him around so he is facing Caleb.

"You're the one who sees everything, aren't you?" Caleb asks as he rears his hand back in front of Xander's face. "Well, let's see what we can't do about that."

Caleb plunges his thumb into Xander's left eye, gouging it out. Xander screams in agony. Spike charges Caleb, knocking Xander away from Caleb. Xander, bleeding from his eye, stumbles back, falling to the ground in front of wine barrels.

"Xander! Come on." Buffy yells as she goes to his side.

Buffy and Spike lift Xander to his feet, and carry him out, one supporting each of his arms. Caleb sits up but does not pursue them as they walk out. He stands and smiles while watching them leave.

"Thought you had us, didn't you?" Conner asked from behind him.

"Well, what do we have here?" Caleb asked, "You are a good fighter, would do much better one our side."

"Which side is that?" Conner asked, "The bad side. I was almost there one time; it took my aforementioned father getting freed from the ocean to stop me, though it didn't."

"Well, I see you have been with us before, why not again?" Caleb asked him with a smirk.

"Been there," Conner said as he unexpectedly punched Caleb in the face, "Done that." He finished as he pulled a small dagger out of Caleb's side. "Do you know how old I am? And to have just done that, wow, I am amazed."

Conner tossed the dagger to the side and left the vineyard.

X x X

Dawn and Andrew were talking in the living room. It was one of the few times they could spend together, what with Buffy hating them dating as well as Spike, Giles, Willow, and Xander. Anya seemed cool with it.

"So what do you think of this Conner guy?" Dawn asked.

"Not sure, he seems like he has some alter motive." Andrew replied.

"What, no comic book reference?" Dawn asked him playfully.

"All villians have an alter motive." Andrew told her, "Lex Luther, Darth Vader…"

"Okay, I get the point." Dawn told him.

It was then that the front door was villiantly thrown open. Conner walked in, limping slightly. He had cuts everywhere and a large bruise already forming on his jaw.

"Are all preachers trying to kill you?" Conner asked seeing Dawn and Andrew.

"What happened?" Andrew asked.

"Not sure, everything is still spinning." Conner stated before he passed out.


End file.
